Marketing can be incredibly confusing. Most people don't really know what it is, they just know it can be the answer to their business prayers.

But simply implementing marketing into your business won't result in success. You need to first understand what marketing is, and then have a plan of action.

So let's start with what marketing is. And this is the simplest, most jargon-free, definition of marketing you’re ever likely to come across:

What Is Marketing?

If the circus is coming to town and you paint a sign saying ‘Circus Coming to the Showground Saturday’, that’s advertising.

If you put the sign on the back of an elephant and walk it into town, that’s promotion.

If the elephant walks through the mayor’s flower bed and the local newspaper writes a story about it, that’s publicity.

And if you get the mayor to laugh about it, that’s public relations.

If the town’s citizens go to the circus, you show them the many entertainment booths, explain how much fun they’ll have spending money at the booths, answer their questions and ultimately, they spend a lot at the circus, that’s sales.

And if you planned the whole thing, that’s marketing.

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Other Marketing Definitions

Marketing is a series of activities and processes that a business or brand takes to promote their product or services to their ideal customer. These are the people most likely to buy what they're selling.

Marketing encompasses research, strategy, advertising, social media engagement, and selling.

The point is to educate, inform, and move a prospect closer to a sale.

Why Your Business Needs Marketing?

It's simple, really. If someone has never bought from you, how do they find out about your product or service?

Unless you've got a robust referral system in place, they're unlikely to have heard about your business.

And they're most likely not going to buy from you.

So, if you want people to take a closer look at your business, and spend their precious dollars, you need marketing.

It's what you do to attract your ideal customer.

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If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy our article on How to Create a Lead Magnet that Converts in 6-Steps. As a small business owner, it’s the smarter way to attract high-quality leads and you can automate much of it.